A Simple Cold
by Exploded Pen
Summary: A story which proves that even with all the new technology there's still no cure for a simple little cold. A simple cold can make a real big mess!COMPLETED
1. I'm fine because I say so!

~*~Disclaimer=me no own~*~ I have two other stories on the go both are about two or three chapters away from completion so I thought might as well get the wagon rolling and start on another one. Yes it's another Malcolm centred story. I don't care. I totally embrace my bordering on obsession with trying to kill him or injuring him in stories. I am normal. I am normal. Stop looking at me like I'm insane! Fine, I'll embrace my insanity instead!~*~  
  
Malcolm stared at his reflection in the mirror dolefully. He felt terrible and he didn't look much better either. A 1000 instrument steel band were giving it some in his head and his nose had decided to run a marathon.  
  
With it only being a few hours away from going down to the latest planet for first contact he was feeling even worse. He scrabbled around for a painkiller and blew his nose.  
  
Once he'd showered and changed he looked slightly healthier.  
  
*There's nothing wrong with me* He told himself firmly*Out of mind, out of sight, remember?*  
  
He tucked neatly folded hankerchiefs into various pockets, blessing whoever had the presence of mind to include them in the uniform design.  
  
Hair neatly combed, uniform straight and tidy, hanky's in pockets (various). Finally satisfied that he no longer looked peaky he dared to venture out to the mess hall. For urgently needed mugs of tea and/or coffee.  
  
He hid himself away in the corner sipping at his drink, feeling the painkiller finally kick in. Unfortunately for him fate decided to play a hand. His peaceful calm was shattered by a loud and (disturbingly) happy greeting  
  
"Mornin' Mal!"  
  
*Oh GGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD* Malcolm thought briefly closing his eyes.  
  
"Morning Trip"  
  
"Ya not hungry? I thought ya never missed breakfast." Said Trip plonking himself down in the empty chair, giving Malcolm a curious stare. "Ya lookin' a bit pale, ya ok?"  
  
"I'm fine-just tired" Malcolm lied.  
  
*What in the Hell gives him the right to be this happy this early on a morning?* He thought moodily.  
  
Trip stared at him intently for a moment but chose not to pursue it. Instead watching him like a hawk trying to check for any signs of illness, Malcolm wished he wouldn't, it got very annoying.  
  
He left the mess hall quickly and travelled down to his sanctuary-The Armoury.  
  
*Now weapons are useful, they don't judge you and they made cool explosions* he thought as he entered the room.  
  
Members of his team looked up.  
  
"Morning sir" they chorused.  
  
"Morning everyone" said Malcolm nodding.  
  
His second in command handed his the report.  
  
"Ah, I see the bugger up fairy has kindly paid us another visit" He said reading it. "From this report I judge you all know what needs to be done while I'm away. I expect this Armoury to be in a better shape when I get back than it is now."  
  
"Yes sir" his team muttered.  
  
Malcolm regarded his team closely as they began working. He felt proud of them, he had a crack team.  
  
They had already made contact with the planet they were visiting. The Jennern seemed very friendly and eager to meet them. Malcolm was doubtful as to their intentions but as usual had met a barrier when suggesting a security team come with them and that they all have phasers. He had managed to bargain one phaser for himself and that was it.  
  
He met the others in the shuttle bay first blowing his nose quietly outside before entering. He refused to believe he was ill.  
  
"Are you ok Malcolm?" Hoshi asked concerned.  
  
"I'm fine" Malcolm replied.  
  
"You look really pale" she said staring at him.  
  
"I'm fine" he repeated feeling a tickle in the back of his throat. "Perfectly fine"  
  
By the time the rest of the Away Team had assembled Malcolm had one of those: 'If anybody else dares ask me if I'm feeling ok I'm gonna stick this phaser where the sun don't shine!'  
  
Nobody asked him if he felt alright, funny thing that.......  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Down on the planet~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Malcolm attempted to perfect his blank façade before he got out the shuttlepod.  
  
*Mind over matter* He thought firmly *You're not ill, you're not ill, you're not ill.*  
  
He fell into step behind Archer, Trip and Hoshi as they walked forward to greet the Jennern Prime Minister.  
  
His instincts were screaming that something was wrong. He put it down to acute paranoia and tried to ignore the feeling.  
  
"Greetings Captain Archer, welcome to Jennera!" He said warmly.  
  
"Thank you Prime Minister, I'd like to introduce Commander Charles Tucker, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed and Ensign Hoshi Sato" Archer said shaking his hand.  
  
Handshakes were exchanged, smiles were plastered to faces and Malcolm's instincts told him something was going to happen soon, something that could only be bad.  
  
They walked down the causeway and into a huge building who's entrance was guarded by Jennerans in emerald green uniforms.  
  
As the entered the building Malcolm remembered darkness and then something heavy fall on his head.  
  
*Well bugger me, I was right* he thought hazily as his tenuous grasp on consciousness slipped away from him.  
  
~*~Please review!~*~ 


	2. Sanity stealing gnomes

~*~Disclaimer=I own nothing!~*~ The storyline to this is soo obvious it's unreal! That is unless you're like me and are currently in an insomnia induced coma-like state. Plus I'm starting with a cold! Stupid crappy minus six billion degrees British Winters! Also I've discovered a brand new pet hate-the McDonalds staff in Lincolnshire who pretend to look confused if you ask for a chicken sandwich meal. Apparently if you don't say the 'Mc' part at the beginning they don't know what you want. Hrmph. (It was one of those situations where you're just dying to say: "I'll have a 'Mc' straw so I can jam it in your 'Mc' eyes you 'Mc' Tosser!") Ah! The Watch Stander, I found out straight after what a hot toddy was and mentally kicked myself for being really ignorant! I think the connection between my eyes and my brain had switched off. Whenever I'm sick my mum always gives me hot toddy except her version is hot lemonade with sugar in it-it works honest!~*~  
  
Malcolm awoke with his eyes still shut.  
  
His head hurt. People were talking-loudly.  
  
*Stupid people* Malcolm thought. *Stupid headache, stupid damn bloody aliens!*  
  
"Malcolm?"  
  
*Oh bugger off!*  
  
"Malcolm?"  
  
"Hmm?" He mumbled opening an eye.  
  
It was Hoshi. Trip and Archer were stood beside her. Archer didn't look impressed.  
  
*Damn should've stayed asleep*  
  
"How're you feelin'" Hoshi asked kindly.  
  
Malcolm sat bolt upright.  
  
"I'm fine" he said "What happened?"  
  
He sneezed, Hoshi backed off slightly.  
  
"You collapsed" Trip informed him. "One of the guards tried to catch ya an' ended up smackin' ya round the head with his gun."  
  
Malcolm's hand instinctively flew up to his head, he felt material.  
  
"They insisted on bandaging your head" Hoshi told him.  
  
She pushed him back down again.  
  
"Try not to move Malcolm, we need to get Phlox to have a look at you" said Archer. "Why didn't you tell us you were sick?"  
  
"I'm not sick sir" Malcolm argued.  
  
"So ya normally collapse on away missions then?" Trip asked sarcasm evident in his voice.  
  
*Damn you! That's just a technicality! I meant to collapse.....oh brilliant, that'll work....erm I felt slightly faint but the main reason I collapsed was because the guard hit me round the head....stupid git, if I'd have been awake I would've stuffed my phaser up wherever they have their arses!*  
  
Malcolm said nothing and suddenly found the floor exceptionally interesting. The others walked away to the front of the shuttlepod leaving him to mull over his own thoughts.  
  
He coughed.  
  
*Maybe I am just a little bit of colour*  
  
He sat up knocking the blanket off.  
  
*I've ruined first contact, hell-I scared the aliens! What was I thinking? I could've infected their whole civilisation! I don't think they included stupidity in the job description. Archer's gonna chew me out for sure. What was I thinking? I'm the bloody security officer and I jeopardised the aliens and the away team's safety! Who knows how they could've reacted?*  
  
He smacked his forehead in frustration, bad idea. It made it hurt.  
  
*Slowly but surely the garden gnomes are stealing my sanity*  
  
A picture of small garden gnomes running through a garden, stealing things from a box labelled 'Malcolm's sanity' came to mind. He laughed quietly; glad no one could see inside his head.  
  
The shuttle docked in the shuttlebay moments later. Phlox appeared.  
  
"Mr Reed, how did I know it would be you?"  
  
Malcolm scowled. Phlox ran the medical tri-corder over him.  
  
"You have flu" He announced. "And a mild concussion."  
  
"I'm not sick" Malcolm muttered getting to his feet.  
  
Unsteadily he followed Phlox down to sickbay.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~On the planet~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"As we suspected, the human is ill."  
  
"Excellent, see if the Enterprise away team will pay us another visit. Insist the sick one comes with them."  
  
"As you wish Prime-Minister."  
  
"Prime-Minister, once the away team have returned what do you want us to do?"  
  
"Entice the sick one away-then order the others back to their ship-use weapons if necessary."  
  
"What if they refuse to bring the sick one Prime-Minister?"  
  
"Distract them and beam him out. We need him. We cannot wait too long in case he recovers, it must be done soon."  
  
"What do you plan to do with the sick one?"  
  
"Use the virus within him and mutate it to use it as a biological weapon against our enemies and possibly to take down Enterprise and the rest of her crew. I could use another ship to add to my collection."  
  
"Yes sir, but what if......?"  
  
"No more questions! I have every contingency provided for; now get out of my sight. You have your orders."  
  
"Sorry Prime-Minister, I'll get on it right away."  
  
~*~Please review! I know-very bad me for another short chapter-they'll get longer! Honest!~*~ 


	3. A trip to lalaland

~*~Disclaimer=if I owned this I'd be the crazy lady dancing in the street! So no, it's not mine~*~You all have to thank TLI for me writing this next chapter oh and TLI-I'm a history buff, unfortunately didn't have space to take it as a GCSE subject so am very sad but that's the reasoning behind Soldier past, soldier present.-OK back to normal, everybody loves the gnomes! I could make a fortune in t-shirt sales-on second thoughts maybe not!~*~  
  
Malcolm stared at the wall coughing sporadically.  
  
"I'm confining you to quarters from now on, I order you to get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids." Said Phlox, pressing a hypospray to his neck. "Someone will bring your meals to you-no need to infect the rest of the crew."  
  
*Sounds like fun-almost as fun as watching paint dry!*  
  
Malcolm sneezed in response and gave Phlox a sour look.  
  
"Hey Doc!" said Trip cheerily "How's he doin'?"  
  
"Ah Commander Tucker, you're just in time to escort Mr Reed to his quarters!" said Phlox jovially.  
  
Malcolm got unsteadily to his feet and followed Trip out of sickbay, stoutly ignoring Phlox.  
  
"Ah thought ya looked off colour this mornin'," said Trip "Ya should've said you were sick."  
  
"I wasn't feeling that bad." Said Malcolm sullenly.  
  
The walk to Malcolm's quarters seemed to take forever.  
  
*Life is like cheese, it sounds good when you say it, but crap when you taste it. This sucks!*  
  
Trip watched while Malcolm changed into his P.J's.  
  
"You know you can leave." Said Malcolm, sitting on his bed. "I'm not going anywhere."  
  
((a/n Famous last words! Muhahahaha!))  
  
"Ah just wanna make sure ya settled an' not thinkin' o' doin' any work." Said Trip, crossing his arms.  
  
*Damn, oh well just humour him and then wait till he's gone!*  
  
Malcolm coughed and reluctantly got into bed.  
  
"Happy now?" he asked.  
  
"I'll drop by later." Trip promised before leaving.  
  
Malcolm waited a moment before getting up. He sat down at his desk and pulled out some of his paperwork from the armoury.  
  
He worked steadily for an hour before falling asleep on the pads.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~On the planet~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Prime Minister, they refuse to bring the human down to the planet."  
  
"Well then do what I told you!"  
  
"But sir! What if..."  
  
"Don't what if me! Just do it!"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Captain, a transport has been made from to the planet." T'Pol stated. "The Jennern's have just beamed Lieutenant Reed from his quarters."  
  
"Hoshi hail the planet!" Archer ordered. "And get a team down to Malcolm's quarters!"  
  
"They're not responding sir." Said Hoshi, her fingers flying over the controls. "Wait we're getting a transmission........well that was rude!"  
  
"What did they say?" Archer demanded.  
  
"Well....our equivalent of piss off-except slightly stronger." Said Hoshi blushing. "I'll try again sir."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~On the Planet~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
When Malcolm rematerialised he nose dived forward and nearly knocked himself out.  
  
((a/n think about it people he's just been sleepin' on a chair!))  
  
Stars twinkling before his eyes he gazed at the unfamiliar ceiling.  
  
"Take him down to the Med Bay." Said a voice.  
  
Strong arms seized Malcolm; he struggled but was too out of it to make much difference.  
  
A sterile metallic room came into view. Full of sharp pointy things.  
  
*Something tells me walking isn't going to be an option after this-or having children.*  
  
They fastened him to the table. Malcolm struggled against the restraints but to no avail.  
  
"Don't worry," said a doctor coming towards him with a needle. "This will only hurt when you wake up."  
  
"Oh lucky me," Malcolm muttered darkly.  
  
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Enterprise~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Captain, the Jennerns have raised a shield-we cannot penetrate it." Said T'Pol. "At the moment we cannot attempt a rescue mission."  
  
"Get all the senior officers together-we need some ideas." Archer ordered.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Some hours later-back on planet~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Malcolm blinked. Then blinked again.  
  
*Where in the name of la-la-land am I?*  
  
"Ah, Lieutenant! Feeling unwell I hope?" asked a jovial voice.  
  
*Always happy-why can I never be captured by homicidal people? Sods bloody law that.*  
  
Malcolm said nothing a mutinous look on his face.  
  
"Don't worry-we'll return you to your ship once we're finished with you." He said smiling.  
  
*So there is a light at the end of every tunnel-just gotta pray it's not a train.*  
  
~*~Short again-Bad me! Anyway Merry Christmas to everybody and please review!~*~ 


	4. From the inside, out

~*~Disclaimer=In this land of nothing I own nothing ok?~*~OK, for full details of why none of these characters are original see review and also would like to add-although I'm 'borrowing' your names that doesn't mean I think you're evil or anything I just can't be bothered to think of names for my aliens-does that make me evil? I'm just naming characters after you ok? Hmm-gotta write this before the hamster running round on the wheel in my brain gets tired! Oh and when you're sick the worst thing in the world is some ultra chirpy pain in the arse person being happy when you feel like crap which is why Malcolm was in a mood!~*~  
  
*You don't fail if you fall, you fail when you don't get back up*  
  
Malcolm sneezed as he contemplated this thought. Generally the symptoms of cold were present-with a vengeance. What didn't help was the Jennerns were purposely trying to keep the room either very cold or very hot.  
  
*Mind you when they make the room cold I feel hot and when they make the room hot I feel cold. It balances out when you think about it.*  
  
Various people were watching him through a mirror in the wall. In was like being in a cage at the zoo.  
  
"Malcolm, I'm Doctor T'eyla. I'd just like to ask you a few questions." She said, pen poised.  
  
Malcolm felt a tickle in his throat and swallowed hard.  
  
*Brilliant, now she's gonna think you're scared!*  
  
He stared at her, unblinking.  
  
"I have a few questions of my own." He muttered.  
  
"I believe one of your crew informed me of a saying you have-'curiosity killed the cat'." Replied Dr T'eyla smiling slightly.  
  
*Curiosity didn't kill the cat, curiosity made the kittens!*  
  
"Now, what is your name?" she asked.  
  
The tickle in his throat was getting stronger. He didn't reply.  
  
"Come on Malcolm, tell me your name." she repeated.  
  
"You already know my name." Malcolm pointed out.  
  
"Here's how it's going to go. Every so often I'm going to be coming back and asking more questions. Until finally I say 'jump' and you'll say......"she began  
  
Malcolm closed his eyes  
  
"How high?" she ended. "Believe me, it'll happen. I've been doing this for years and I've never failed yet."  
  
*Ok, just remember Malcolm: Fear is nothing but the anticipation of pain, be it physical, mental or emotional. Enterprise will come. They have to come-I'm too much of a security risk.* The tickle in Malcolm's throat caused him to start coughing uncontrollably. The door opened again. "Is he still restrained?" the alien asked.  
  
"Of course." Dr T'eyla snapped.  
  
"We need to examine him again-see how he's progressing." said the alien.  
  
"Of course Libran-are we doing it here or in the med bay?" asked T'eyla.  
  
"Here," replied Libran. "Will you do the honours?"  
  
T'eyla nodded and withdrew a needle from her pocket.  
  
*Aww hell.*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Enterprise~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~  
  
"We can't just leave him there!" Trip exploded, "We have to think of something!"  
  
"I have no intention of leaving Malcolm there!" Archer snapped. "Doctor Phlox has a theory of why they want him-so be quiet and let him speak!"  
  
Doctor Phlox nodded in thanks.  
  
"My theory is that the Jennerns are planning to use Mr Reed's illness as a biological weapon against the dwellers on the other side of their planet." He announced.  
  
"How is infectin' a planet with a cold gonna hurt the people on the other side on their planet?" asked Trip.  
  
"On their planet they do not have the 'cold' virus, it is my belief they plan to mutate the virus so it affects them more strongly." replied Doctor Phlox.  
  
"So when are we gonna get him out of there?" asked Trip immediately, "Maybe we could get one person through the shield onto the planet and then wait until that person gets the shield down so we can get Malcolm out."  
  
The officers glanced at each other.  
  
"That's not a bad idea Trip, T'Pol did you detect any gaps in the shield at any given time?" Archer asked.  
  
"I will examine previous data." She replied, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Cap'n I volunteer ta be the person who goes down there." Trip piped up.  
  
"I'll think about it." Was all Archer would say.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~Planet~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~  
  
*Ow......Ow......Ow........Ow......Ow.......*  
  
He opened his eyes.  
  
"What did you do?" he croaked.  
  
"You mean you don't remember?" asked Libran smiling.  
  
Malcolm sneezed and waited.  
  
"You told us everything," Libran told him gleefully. "It was so simple, so easy. I honestly thought you'd have put up more of a fight."  
  
Malcolm's eyes widened.  
  
"A quick dose of Sodium Pentothal and you told us everything-from your birth date to the last time you ate food." T'eyla added smirking.  
  
"You're lying," Malcolm croaked, half smiling. "That's not true."  
  
*I wouldn't have told. I would've remembered being drugged surely-I would've remembered the interrogation at any rate.*  
  
Libran pulled up his sleeve; puncture marks of a needle were clearly visible.  
  
"You've already injected me before though." Malcolm coughed.  
  
"How can you be sure?" Libran whispered. "You have betrayed your people Malcolm Reed, to the death of them all."  
  
~*~Please review! Loving the reviews at the moment-you fantastic people! Anyway....erm....Yeah if you don't get what they're doing ask and all will be revealed!!!!!~*~ 


	5. Breaking Point

~*~Disclaimer=me no own~*~Wow, this took ages to put up! Seriously too much stuff going on at the moment-love the reviews you wonderful people! Anyway erm......yeah (a Jimmy Riddle is a piss in case you didn't know)~*~  
  
*It's my fault, I killed them, I betrayed them, ITS MY BLOODY FAULT! I CAN'T BELIEVE I WAS SO BLOODY WEAK!*  
  
Eyes and nose streaming, Malcolm tried to move his arm to wipe his face only to remember he was still restrained on the table or bed-whatever it was it wasn't designed for comfort.  
  
He coughed forlornly and tried to get a good look at the room around him. This was the longest they'd left him alone.  
  
The walls were grey with a long mirror that stretched across the wall to the right of him. There were also two chairs and there had been a trolley of instruments but this had been removed.  
  
His throat was dry and his stomach felt empty. He tried to remember when he last had something to eat or drink.  
  
*A Jimmy Riddle wouldn't go amiss either*  
  
The sound of grating machinery came to his ears. Moments later the restraints slid back. Immediately he slid off the table crashing to the ground with a thud.  
  
*OW!*  
  
His muscles were screaming in protest at this unauthorised use after being motionless for so long. He suddenly had a massive sneezing fit.  
  
""What did you do?"  
  
"You mean you don't remember?"  
  
"You told us everything, It was so simple, so easy. I honestly thought you'd have put up more of a fight."  
  
"A quick dose of Sodium Pentothal and you told us everything-from your birth date to the last time you ate food."  
  
"You're lying, That's not true."  
  
"How can you be sure? You have betrayed your people Malcolm Reed, to the death of them all."  
  
He looked up in alarm, his head spinning from side to side.  
  
Then it started, childlike singing echoing round the room: "You killed them! They're dead and its all you fault! You were screaming out the answers before the end! You're weak Malcolm Reed! You're a coward! You betrayed your people! You signed their death sentence! You'll have to live with the guilt that you murdered all your friends and colleagues! You're a murdered Malcolm Reed! MURDERER! MURDERER! MURDERER!"  
  
"No!" Malcolm yelled, panicking slightly. "You're lying!"  
  
"We have proof, do you want to see? Do you want to see your friends die? Do you want to hear the screams? Why don't you watch what you've done!"  
  
A projection appeared on the blank wall, Malcolm could clearly see Enterprise.  
  
He squeezed his eyes tight shut and tried to blot out the sound of the explosion.  
  
"See? I told you it would happen! I told you one day I would say jump and you would say: How high? And you did! I never fail Malcolm, never!"  
  
"NO!" He bellowed, with sudden energy leaping to his feet grabbing one of the chairs and smashing it against the mirror with all his might.  
  
It splintered apart in his hands but he didn't care. A crack was showing in the mirror. He threw the pieces down on the floor and began beating it with his bare hands repeating: "No!" over and over again but sounding weaker by the minute. Coughing sporadically he sank to the floor and let unconsciousness take him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Enterprise~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"When's the next gap?" Archer asked.  
  
"In approximately 30 minutes." Replied T'Pol raising an eyebrow  
  
"I'm ready ta go Cap'n," Trip interjected.  
  
"I don't like sending you down alone Trip," said Archer doubtfully.  
  
"Once Ah get the shield down Ah won't be alone," Trip assured him. "We have to try somethin'!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Planet~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We're not getting any information from him," Dr Libran sighed. "He is proving more stubborn than I first anticipated."  
  
"What shall we do?" asked Dr T'eyla staring through the two way mirror into the room where Malcolm was being held.  
  
"I say we go with Plan B, infect him and send him back." Libran replied. "I hear Engineer Nights has come up with a beam that will knock out their engines. Once he is aboard the virus should spread quickly."  
  
"How do we know it'll work?" T'eyla asked anxiously, "It's untested."  
  
"Let him be the test subject-release the virus into the room wait a few moments then send him back." Libran instructed.  
  
"What will you be doing?" T'eyla asked, her eyes narrowing.  
  
"Never you mind!" Libran snapped, "You have your orders-get on with it!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Malcolm's holding room~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Malcolm blinked blearily, he felt terrible. Like death warmed up.  
  
He tried to force his puffy eyes to focus but then sank back into the darkness of his mind as the room disappeared around him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Enterprise~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Captain, a transport has just been made to Lieutenant Reeds quarters." T'Pol stated.  
  
They all exchanged worried glances.  
  
"Get Phlox down there-no one goes in without some form of protection-we don't know what they've sent." Archer ordered.  
  
* * *  
  
The route between Malcolm's quarters and sickbay had been cleared. For the time being everyone was to remain where they were.  
  
Phlox had confirmed Malcolm's cold virus had been mutated and ordered that no one should enter sickbay unless they were properly protected or it was an emergency.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Down on the planet they were waiting, it was all a matter of time.  
  
~*~Ok! Read and review! This chapter isn't like the others I don't think, might modify at some point depending on your reaction~*~ 


	6. Librans sacrifice

~*~Disclaimer=me no own~*~ OK, latest chapter up (woo!) loving all the reviews I'm getting! 34 for only 6 chapters?!? Wow! So happy, slightly hyper as well now! Oh and like I said before when Malcolm was on about wanting a Jimmy Riddle in the last chapter its slang for needing a wee basically, but thought that chief armoury officer would never be caught saying I need a wee out loud or in his head!~*~  
  
Voices.  
  
*Go away.....just......leave me alone.*  
  
Malcolm prised open his swollen eyes. The room was swimming around him.  
  
*Urgh swimming.......don't think of water!*  
  
A blurred face came into view.  
  
"Malcolm, how're you feeling?" the face asked.  
  
He forced his eyes to focus and found himself looking up at Phlox.  
  
"They said you were dead-they showed me a tape," he whispered barely audible.  
  
He could see Doctor Libran and Doctor T'eyla creeping up behind Phlox.  
  
Malcolm sank back into the darkest recess of his mind.  
  
Dr Phlox sighed and administered more of the medication.  
  
"Archer to Phlox"  
  
"Here Captain."  
  
"How is he?"  
  
"Not very good, he's running a dangerously high fever-I have no idea how to cure it yet. He woke up a few moments ago and mumbled something about us all being dead and they showed him a tape of it."  
  
"There didn't seem to be any physical effects of torture?"  
  
"No, I believe the form of torture used was mental."  
  
"Will he live?"  
  
"I will do all I can."  
  
"Archer out."  
  
}~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
T'eyla waited, the tiny monitor she'd affixed to Malcolm when he first arrived had not yet been detected and she could still monitor his biosigns.  
  
She watched with a mixture of triumph and mild horror as his biosigns fluctuated. She had co-created this virus and was now watching it flourish and battle its right to take control against his natural immune system.  
  
By now, she guessed that at least a third of the crew would be infected- after all they couldn't possibly have known that the virus mutated until it was too late. The humans were far too stupid for that.  
  
* * *  
  
Dr Libran finished up in his lab, placing a purple container beside the red one inside a metal case.  
  
He had sent word to his people. The Jennerns would fall within seconds-he'd made sure the virus was deadly to them but not the human. He felt a pang of sympathy for Malcolm, he had no desire to inflict pain on him but to prove that he was on the Jennerns side he'd had no choice.  
  
He nodded to the Guards making his way swiftly down the corridor back into the monitoring room.  
  
T'eyla looked up.  
  
"It's progressing nicely," she informed him. "A few more hours and he will be dead."  
  
He kept his face calm though panic swelled within him.  
  
"Good," he lied. "Excellent, you should be proud of yourself."  
  
T'eyla smiled slightly.  
  
"I just came to see how it was going, I am required elsewhere," he told her.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"I'll tell you if anything good happens," she promised.  
  
Libran quickly left the room and stole into the transporter room. Placing the purple container on the pad he beamed it to Enterprise.  
  
"Libran what are you doing?" a voice asked from the doorway.  
  
He span round to find himself face to face with T'eyla, the Prime-Minister and several guards.  
  
"Saving the humans and my people!" he spat.  
  
"Libran how could you?" Prime-Minister Ka'melo snarled. "After all I've done for you-you've betrayed me!"  
  
"I have betrayed no one!" Libran yelled, taking the red container from the case he slammed it down.  
  
It smashed and the vapour rose into the air.  
  
"No!" T'eyla yelled. She grabbed hold of him feeling the gas taking hold. "Where is it? Where is the cure?"  
  
Libran smiled.  
  
"Kill him!" Prime-Minister Ka'melo shouted hysterically. "Now!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Phlox stared worriedly at the test results. He turned and saw a purple container on the floor. Immediately he started running tests recognising it as a tube used for containing medication.  
  
"T'Pol to Sickbay."  
  
"Here Sub-Commander"  
  
"What has just been beamed to sickbay?"  
  
"A purple container-I believe it may contain the cure."  
  
"Be careful Doctor, there is no logic in believing the Jennerns would hold any regard for the crew and their safety."  
  
"I understand Sub-Commander."  
  
"T'Pol out"  
  
Sounds of a frenzied coughing fit came to his ears and a choking sound.  
  
~*~hee hee hee! Ok, little storyline going on with the Jennerns there-I thought it needed it to understand how Phlox gets the container, anyhoo review!~*~ 


	7. Choices

~*~Disclaimer=me no own~*~Woohoo! Two more reviews and I'll have the most reviews I've ever had for one of my stories! Well, you'll find out who Libran actually is either in this chapter or the next~*~  
  
Phlox was at Malcolm side straight away, Malcolm had coughed so much he'd thrown up a river of blood and was now choking on it. Phlox quickly rolled him onto his side and watched as it drained into a bowl.  
  
He heard sickbay doors open, two engineers were carrying an unconscious crewmember in. She had been stuck down by the virus.  
  
Just as he was making her more comfortable there was a soft thud from behind him, Libran had beamed aboard Enterprise.  
  
Phlox immediately called for security, before realising Libran was barely conscious. With the help of the two Engineers he lifted Libran up onto a spare biobed and tried to alleviate his symptoms.  
  
"Did you get it?" Libran whispered hoarsely, "Did you get the Purple container?"  
  
"What is it?" asked Phlox urgently.  
  
"Reed's blood-it's the key to the cure," Libran coughed. "He's the key......... mix his blood........the white cells........ with the substance............ in the container and the virus will die.........."  
  
"Are you sure?" Phlox asked.  
  
Libran nodded painfully and drew in harsh breaths.  
  
"Why his blood?"  
  
"He......was inoculated by me.........I hoped..........it wouldn't affect him........as strongly........."  
  
"What inoculants did you use?"  
  
Libran didn't reply, harsh ragged breathing filled the air.  
  
Phlox looked back at Reed; there was no way he'd be strong enough for his body to cope with blood being taken.  
  
Phlox looked up again as Hoshi and Trip were brought in.  
  
"It appears you both have fallen prey to the virus," Phlox announced running a scanner over them.  
  
"Can I see Malcolm?" Trip asked weakly. "It won't make any difference now,"  
  
"He's still unconscious," Phlox told him. "Why don't you take the biobed next to him?"  
  
Trip nodded then stopped short.  
  
"What the hell's he doing here?" he demanded coughing. "It was his people that did this in the first place!"  
  
Phlox forced him to lie down.  
  
With sickbay getting fuller, Phlox took a long look at Malcolm.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bridge~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~  
  
"Captain, we're receiving a transmission," said a nervous looking Ensign now occupying Hoshi's usual place.  
  
"The Jennerns?" Archer asked.  
  
"It's from, the other side of the planet sir," she replied, brows furrowed.  
  
"On screen," Archer ordered.  
  
"Captain Archer," the alien on the viewscreen greeted him, "I am First Minister Caprion of the Tarnnerns."  
  
"What do you want?" Archer snapped, not in the mood to be friendly.  
  
"We know what the Jennerns have done to you," Caprion continued, "Indeed our spy, Libran had to inflict some unfortunate injuries on a member of your crew in order so that his position would not be discovered."  
  
Archer took a deep breath feeling anger rise up inside of him.  
  
"We believe Libran has unleashed the virus on the Jennerns but was unable to save your officer from being infected. By now, according to our data on the virus over 50% of your crew will be infected with over 15% already succumbing to it." Caprion continued. "We also know that Libran beamed aboard your ship and is currently residing in your sickbay."  
  
"How come you've never contacted us before?" Archer cut in swiftly.  
  
"We have been at war with the Jennerns for many centuries; we were gathering data on you and your crew to do a threat assessment." Caprion replied clearly disgruntled at being cut off mid-explanation.  
  
"We will return him to you in a few moments," Archer began annoyed.  
  
"No! I have contacted you to ask that you dispose of Libran back on Jennerra," said Caprion. "There is no hope for him now-he has been infected with the virus, sending him to Tannerra would be certain suicide for all."  
  
"Cut the transmission," Archer spat, disgusted.  
  
"Archer to Sickbay."  
  
"I'm here Captain,"  
  
"Have you made any progress?"  
  
"I believe I have the key to the cure, unfortunately......"  
  
"Unfortunately what?"  
  
"The cure requires a substantial amount of Lieutenant Reed's blood, the amount I would require would most likely cost him his life."  
  
"Can't you take some blood and give him a transfusion or something?"  
  
"No, I would only be able to give him the blood after I had finished taking it originally. It would send his body into shock."  
  
"Is there no other way?"  
  
"None that I can think of. Without this cure Captain, I predict at its current rate of infection within two weeks the entire crew will be severely ill."  
  
"What's Malcolm's chance of survival if you do this?"  
  
"15% chance of making it through the procedure."  
  
"Has he woken up yet?"  
  
"No,"  
  
Archer hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.  
  
"Captain, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," said T'Pol clearly. "If this is the only chance of the crews' survival then logic dictates that that is the best course of action."  
  
"Captain?"  
  
"Is there any way the crew can just weather the illness?"  
  
"No, it will eventually claim their lives."  
  
"Why is Malcolm's blood so special?"  
  
"It was the original source of the disease; apparently Libran injected him with various inoculants in the hope that he would somehow be able to fight it."  
  
"Can't you just get him to tell you what inoculants he used?"  
  
"He's unconscious Captain, I don't think he'll last much longer."  
  
Archer heard choking and coughing intermingling on the other side of the comm.  
  
"I'll have to get back to you Captain; I need your decision soon. Phlox out"  
  
~*~Hee hee hee! I'm evil! You know I might actually persuade myself to kill Malcolm off in this story-haven't quite had the guts to do it yet. Bless him. Seriously though-review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~*~ 


	8. While you were sleeping

~*~Disclaimer=me no own~*~wow! This is the most reviews I've ever had for one story! So happy! Decided I couldn't leave it hanging for ages, didn't want to be that mean!~*~  
  
"Archer to Sickbay."  
  
"Phlox here."  
  
"Do whatever you can Doctor,"  
  
"Understood."  
  
"Archer out."  
  
Phlox turned and looked back at his patients.  
  
"What's going on Doc?" Trip asked coughing.  
  
He didn't reply and merely looked to the corner where Malcolm lay.  
  
He walked slowly towards Malcolm, and then to his utter amazement, Malcolm opened his eyes.  
  
"Lieutenant?" he asked gently.  
  
Malcolm turned his gaze towards him.  
  
"Hurts," he rasped barely audible above the noise of the others coughing and sneezing.  
  
He choked again and heaved up more blood into the bowl beside the biobed.  
  
Phlox stared at the bowl intently. Malcolm choked again this time falling back into the sweet unconscious as blood fell from his mouth.  
  
Phlox quickly took away the bowl and took a sample from it.  
  
"Perfect!" he breathed beaming.  
  
Half an hour later he held a small amount of the antidote in his hands, he injected Trip, Libran and Hoshi. Now all he had to do was wait.  
  
Malcolm woke up for a brief spell again, only to find he was staring right into Trips eyes.  
  
"S'bout time ya woke up," Trip teased.  
  
He gave him a small smile.  
  
"Hallucinating now." He murmured.  
  
"I'm not a hallucination Mal," said Trip, looking confused.  
  
"I saw the ship.....explode." Malcolm rasped his eyes closing. "S'all my fau..."  
  
"Commander Tucker you should be resting!" Phlox tutted, directing Trip back to his biobed.  
  
"I feel better now!" Trip argued.  
  
"That remains to be seen, now lie down please," Phlox ordered.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Two Days later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Trip watched is friend anxiously.  
  
Malcolm hadn't woken properly, not since the transfusion. Even now he still looked pale and drawn. Thin. Too thin. Nothing more than a bag of bones with skin. Doctor Phlox wasn't sure if he would awaken. He'd nearly died four times. His fever was still raging but less than it had been. They took it as a good sign.  
  
Most of the others had now recovered from the virus, a few were still coughing in hankies but they had been released to their quarters on sick leave.  
  
Libran had gone. The Tannerns took him away. Archer had ordered Mayweather to take them out of orbit. He hadn't offered the Jennerns the cure.  
  
Malcolm shifted slightly; the movement was so tiny Trip wondered if he'd seen it at all.  
  
He took a sharp intake of breath, the machine started beeping wildly.  
  
~*~Such bad writers block you wouldn't believe! Might change this chapter but need some thoughts-please review!~*~ 


	9. Oh God what have I done?

~*~Disclaimer=me no own~*~I apologise deeply for the shortness of the last chapter, I had the worst writers block ever! First I'm going to finish this, then finish Sometimes I Stare and then concentrate on Little Cotton Socks and Daddy's Little Girl because I hate leaving stories unfinished so I'm determined to finish this one whether my brain will work or not!!!!! Thanks for all the reviews!!!!!! This chapter will actually involve a dream so bear with me!~*~

For a moment Trip's heart stopped, he thought it was the machines monitoring Malcolm that was beeping.

He was about to make his tracks for the night when Malcolm suddenly stirred and opened his eyes.

"Doc! He's awake!" Trip exclaimed joyfully.

"Shurrup, head hurts," Malcolm murmured shooting Trip a reproachful glance. 

He closed his eyes again and took a deep breath as if to orientate himself. Then he opened his eyes again.

"How are you feeling?" Phlox asked smiling broadly.

*Did you graduate from the school of stupid questions? I feel like crap! Mind you, am I on Enterprise? Is that really Trip and Phlox? No it can't be-they showed me the footage of the explosion, this is another trick. Urgh, thinking hurts, in fact everything hurts-what the hell have they done to me?*

"Fine," Malcolm replied eventually.

He closed his eyes and chose to ignore the rest of what they said to him.

"Is this a good sign?" Trip asked, "It must mean he's getting' better,"

"We shall see," Phlox replied. "It's time for you to go Commander-you need your rest too-Mr Reed will still be here in the morning."

Trip opened his mouth to argue but let it go and walked out.

'_Malcolm walked into the mess hall, his friends and colleagues were all there, their gaze boring into him. Their expressions were uncharacteristically hard and hatred burned brightly in their eyes._

_"You took your time," said Hoshi coldly. _

_"What?" Malcolm asked confused._

_"Forget about ya duties did we?" Trip snapped. "Where the hell were ya?"_

_"When?" he asked, glancing around almost nervously as they closed in around him._

_"What d'ya mean when?" Trip snarled. "When the Jennerns attacked us!"_

_"What? No!" Malcolm exclaimed. "I couldn't do anything!"_

_"Well that much is obvious," said T'Pol raising an eyebrow._

_"Where were you Malcolm?" Hoshi asked her tone becoming more desperate. "Your replacement couldn't cope, it was horrible............people were screaming. Where were you?"_

_"They captured me, they were interrogating me!" Malcolm tried to explain._

_"Oh you poor diddums," said Travis sarcastically. "My heart bleeds for you I assure you."_

_"It did actually," cut in T'Pol looking thoughtful._

_Malcolm shook his head._

_"This isn't real," He said firmly._

_"It doesn't change what you did," said Trip, practically nose to nose with him. "You killed us you ungrateful little sonofabitch!"_

_"I couldn't do anything! They were holding me captive!" Malcolm practically screamed._

_"It. Was. All. Your. Fault." Trip snarled. "Ya wouldn't admit you were ill! If you had gone to sickbay that morning instead of insisting ya were fine when ya so obviously weren't, the Jennerns wouldn't have taken ya, they wouldn't have interrogated ya and we would still. Be. Alive!"_

_"A domino effect," said Travis. "So really, it is your fault. I hope you're proud of yourself."_

_He turned around hearing blasts from down the corridor. He turned back hearing screams of pain and agony._

_He recoiled in horror, all around him the others were bleeding, crying, screaming. Bones were broken, the smell of burnt flesh was rising and a crimson lake was running through the mess hall._

_"Why?" asked Hoshi starring at her burnt bloody fingers. "Why did you do it?"'_

Malcolm woke with a start, his breath coming in shaky gasps.

"Oh God, what have I done?"

~*~Please review! I know the people in his dream were out of character-they were supposed to be! So yeah, please review!~*~


	10. Me, myself and Guilt

~*~Disclaimer=me no own~*~62 reviews! So very happy! Hopefully this chapter will be longer than the last but I don't know-your reviews have been really helpful! Phaser lady, your review made my day! It will probably get a bit angst soon though-after all the poor lad's a bit traumatised!~*~  
  
"How is he?"  
  
"As well as can be expected. He's sleeping a lot-though only in short bursts-he's been having nightmares and gets confused and disorientated once he awakens, I had to sedate him to calm him down. He's getting better; though trace elements of the virus remain they shouldn't cause any problems. It's taken a lot out of him."  
  
"I understand, has he talked to you at all?"  
  
"He refuses to say a word-but he talks in his sleep."  
  
"What does he say?"  
  
"It's all very jumbled, but it appears he was told we were all dead and feels guilty."  
  
"They told him we were dead? But hasn't he realised seeing us all here?"  
  
"I don't know, he probably thought it was a hallucination or a trick of some kind."  
  
"Let me know when he next wakes up,"  
  
"Certainly Captain."  
  
"Phlox? Will he be alright?"  
  
"We'll just have to see how things go; it depends on the circumstances and the person."  
  
* * *  
  
Malcolm opened his eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling.  
  
He felt exhausted despite only just having woken up. Everything still hurt but he wasn't in as much pain as before.  
  
*Thank god for morphine!*  
  
((A/n I have no idea if they used morphine-but for the purpose of this-they do!))  
  
He tried to sit up but gave up after a few attempts.  
  
*All this looks so real, maybe the Jennerns were lying, but maybe they weren't. Still isn't this better than not having anybody left at all? After all they say ignorance is bliss.  
  
Oh don't be so bloody stupid Malcolm!  
  
I think I'll wait and see what happens....why bother? I failed anyway; I broke under pressure and told them all they needed to know. But in my defence I was ill at the time.  
  
Oh so now I admit I was ill! Not when it really mattered! I had the bloody chance to admit it before we left but no! I was stubborn and refused to admit I was ill!  
  
There's no one to blame but me.  
  
It's all my fault.*  
  
A voice snapped him out of his dismal thoughts: "Malcolm?"  
  
He focused on the person stood next to the biobed. Phlox.  
  
"How're you feeling?"  
  
He thought about opening his mouth and replying but found he couldn't force any sound to come out.  
  
Phlox nodded.  
  
*He pities me. He pities me! I don't want his god damn pity!*  
  
"Well you'll be glad to know your fever's down,"  
  
*Break out the banners and lets all celebrate!*  
  
"Commander Tucker's been into to see you quite a few times, you've had everybody worried."  
  
*Liar*  
  
"The Captain's asked to see you,"  
  
*I feel so privileged; honestly this is my caring face. I mean I can hardly hold a nice conversation with the people I betrayed can I? *  
  
"Do you feel up to seeing him now?"  
  
*Whatever I say you're going to call him anyway so lets not beat about the bush here.*  
  
Malcolm turned away.  
  
"I'm here if you need to talk,"  
  
*I....can't. Don't pretend to care-everybody must despise me for what I've done.  
  
Why don't you just bog off and go play with your creatures of doom?*  
  
Malcolm looked back at Phlox briefly before resuming staring at the ceiling.  
  
Phlox crossed the room to the comm.  
  
"Sickbay to Captain Archer."  
  
"Archer here."  
  
"He's woken up Captain, I'm afraid he's not very talkative though,"  
  
"That's ok, thanks for letting me know. Archer out."  
  
Malcolm sighed.  
  
*What do I want?  
  
Do I want everybody to forgive me?  
  
Is this even Enterprise?  
  
But am I letting down everybody by not talking? Or am I saving them by keeping silent?  
  
Bloody hell, I'm confused.  
  
I'm the bleedin' armoury officer and I'm confused.  
  
It would be so much easier if I would just die.*  
  
~*~Please review! I really wanna know what you think!~*~ 


	11. To sleep is to dream

~*~Disclaimer=me no own!~*~ I am well aware over the past two chapters I've turned Malcolm into an emotional yo-yo but I don't care! It's fun! Lol, not going insane don't worry! TLI, great minds think alike! Either that or you understand the great British sarcasm-more than some people I could mention who wouldn't know sarcasm if it leapt up and bit them in the......I'll shut up now~*~  
  
*Right, so here's the situation:  
  
I think I'm on Enterprise although it could be a simulation because those stupid effing bastards showed me the footage of Enterprise exploding!  
  
No wait, calm, just need to think things through.  
  
They lied, they must've lied must've forged that footage and I bought it because I was weak and stupid!  
  
So what am I gonna do?  
  
Well, maybe I should start talking.  
  
No my throat hurts too much for that.  
  
Maybe everybody hates me, after all it's my own stupidity that got me in this mess in the first place, I'm a disgrace.*  
  
As the doors opened Malcolm gave one last ditch attempt to heave himself into a sitting position-it worked but it cause him to cough violently for a moment.  
  
"Hello Malcolm," said Archer coming forward. "How're you feeling?"  
  
*I swear the next person to ask me that will die a slow and painful death! The answer is obvious! Did all these people graduate from the school of stupidity?!*  
  
Phlox brought over a chair and Archer sat down.  
  
"The Doctor tells me you're on the mend, but you're not talking anymore," he continued, holding eye-contact with him.  
  
*Just leave me alone!*  
  
"He also informed me you've been talking in your sleep. He says that you seem to think that the Enterprise has been destroyed and you feel it's your fault," Archer ended. "Is this true?"  
  
Malcolm looked away.  
  
*So now you talk in your sleep! Isn't that just bloody marvellous! Note to self=never fall asleep!*  
  
"I assure you Malcolm we're all quite real, we didn't die, it was just a ploy the Jennerns used," Archer explained.  
  
"Doesn't change anything," Malcolm rasped.  
  
"What do you mean?" Archer asked.  
  
*Should I tell him? Or should I just pretend I'm fine? No. I've done too much pretending, he wants to know? Fine, let him know.*  
  
He summed up all his energy and took a deep breath.  
  
"I failed," he began simply. "I failed everybody. I knew I was sick and yet I refused to admit it, didn't want to admit the great Malcolm Reed would be the only person to succumb to a bloody cold virus again!"  
  
He paused a moment coughing.  
  
"Trip knew, he tried to subtly make me go to sickbay" Malcolm continued. "But no! I knew better! I thought I could handle it!"  
  
He coughed more violently and had to wait a few seconds.  
  
"So I toddle off down to the planet, the Jennerns see me and they decide to use me for a biological weapon! So then I'm turned into a human guinea pig, thinking everybody I care about is dead! So as you can imagine I have good reason to feel guilty! Like I've betrayed people-because I have!!!!!" He ended.  
  
He began coughing so violently he vomited all over the floor.  
  
"Captain, I'm going to have to ask you to leave!" said Phlox hurrying over.  
  
Malcolm fell weakly back down.  
  
*Well, now you feel like shite and you've added insubordination to your list of things to feel guilty about-fan-bloody-tastic! Why don't we just go round insulting everybody? You are so bloody stupid sometimes! I mean Jesus Christ do you have World's biggest prat tattooed on your forehead or something?*  
  
"It's not your fault Malcolm," Archer told him. "None of this is your fault,"  
  
As Malcolm started coughing again Phlox turned to Archer.  
  
"Captain, please leave, you're upsetting him!" He ordered.  
  
Archer nodded and backed off.  
  
"Malcolm, why don't you try sleeping?" Phlox suggested.  
  
"No! I can't sleep! I don't want to dream again!" Malcolm cried. "I can't! I can't take it anymore!"  
  
"I can give you something that will put you in a deep sleep," Phlox tried. "Where you won't dream but you need to calm down."  
  
*He thinks this isn't calm? He ain't seen nothing yet!*  
  
His grasp on reality began to slip as Phlox administered a sedative.  
  
*Bugger*  
  
~*~Please review! It really does help!~*~ 


	12. TripThe Patron Saint of Smiles

~*~Disclaimer=me no own!~*~ Well, I've had my fun turning Malcolm into an emotional nut-job but I think now's the time to bring him back to normality! Thanks for all you reviews! I can't believe I have 72!~*~  
  
*Think calm thoughts, think nice calm thoughts, think phase pistol destroying all Phlox's creatures. Heh heh heh. Ignore the fact people are probably thinking of having you committed. You are calm. You don't want to cry, you don't want to beat something to a small insignificant pulp, you don't want to cough ya guts up again.*  
  
Malcolm looked away as the doors opened.  
  
*OK so maybe you do feel like you wanna cry and beat something up but you are not going to do it in front of anybody-DO YOU HEAR ME?*  
  
"Hiya Mal',"  
  
*It's Trip the Patron Saint of Smiles.*  
  
He fixed his gaze on Trip not quite meeting his eyes.  
  
"I'm not gonna ask ya if ya're ok, 'cause it's obvious ya ain't," said Trip, sitting on the biobed closest to him.  
  
Malcolm looked up in surprise.  
  
*Oh my God, somebody intelligent-it's a miracle!*  
  
"The Cap'n told me what happened," Trip continued.  
  
Malcolm's eye widened.  
  
*Great, so the entire world knows I'm a guilt ridden insubordinating weak git with no redeeming features, ta very much Captain*  
  
"Ya wanna talk about it?" Trip asked.  
  
"No," Malcolm replied immediately.  
  
"Ya sure?" Trip pressed.  
  
"Yes I bloody well am sure!" Malcolm burst out suddenly. "Why can't people just leave me the hell alone?!"  
  
"Because we care about ya as thick as ya are an' we don' like seein' ya like this!" Trip exclaimed.  
  
"You have no idea what it's like, how I feel!" Malcolm shot back.  
  
*So stick your shrink back chat up ya arse and piss off!* "So tell me how ya feel!" Trip pressed.  
  
*NO! Don't you dare Malcolm Reed! Now is not the time for an emotional breakdown, make him go away!*  
  
"Leave me alone Trip," said Malcolm, tiredly.  
  
"Not until ya talk to me," said Trip stubbornly.  
  
"Fine. You want to know what happened?" asked Malcolm. "I didn't want to be the only person on board to get a cold yet again, I thought I was fine, went down to the planet, got kidnapped, got tortured a bit-used as a human guinea pig then woke up here only to find I unleashed a horrible plague on everybody. People I had previously been told were dead-so am I in the mood for talking and having a 'lets-all-get-together-and-be-friends-again' session? No!"  
  
"They tortured you?" Trip asked, "What did they do?"  
  
"They............ They..............."Malcolm couldn't quite form a complete sentence.  
  
"They'd change the room temperature constantly and monitor how my cold was progressing. They drugged me a lot-one time they said they'd given me a truth serum-I told them everything, everything they wanted to know." He said, his voice deadpan. "They showed me footage of Enterprise exploding, I lost it. I smashed a chair to pieces against the mirror, then I was here, used as a biological bomb so to speak to stop Enterprise."  
  
There was silence as Trip waited to see if Malcolm had anything else to add.  
  
"I hadn't been there long," Malcolm continued his voice breaking slightly. "Before I gave in completely, too weak to stand it."  
  
"That's not true," Trip told him.  
  
"You know what the worst thing is?" Malcolm asked suddenly, his voice even more cracked than before. "In my dreams I can see you all, dying, screaming, bleeding, pleading, hating, crying, I can't escape the guilt, even in my dreams. I just can't take it."  
  
There was a pause.  
  
"Happy now? Happy now you know what a weak feckin' coward I am?" he asked. "You know what? My father was right, I should've joined the Navy, should've drowned with honour!"  
  
Then he lost all pretence of control and burst into huge shoulder wracking sobs.  
  
Trip laid his hand on his shoulder and waited while Malcolm cried himself out, drawing the curtains round the biobed so he could be spared the shame of everybody seeing him lose control.  
  
~*~Just review, humour me. Honestly sometimes I think that I write these fics for the sole purpose of making people suffer!~*~ 


	13. Time to talk

~*~Disclaimer=me no own!~*~ Wow! So many reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!!*faints* Big huggles for all!!!!~*~  
  
~Don't try to fix me I'm not broken  
  
Hello,  
  
I'm the lie, living for you so you can hide  
  
Don't cry~  
  
Trip looked up as Phlox approached Malcolm's biobed.  
  
"He cried himself to sleep," Trip told him quietly. "He told me what they did to him,"  
  
"I know," said Phlox.  
  
"Will he be ok?" Trip asked, staring at his friend's sleeping face.  
  
"It depends on your definition of ok," Phlox replied evenly. "Physically he should be fine, mentally-who knows?"  
  
Trip nodded.  
  
"Time for you to go get some rest yourself," Phlox told him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~Malcolm's mind~~~~~~~~~  
  
It's just me and you brain. Great.  
  
So how do I feel?  
  
I honestly don't know.  
  
I guess, I'm upset, angry, annoyed, desperate, guilty, pleading, hoping, praying, wishing, hating and I don't know what to do.  
  
I'm the bloody armoury officer and they broke me, the bastards broke me.  
  
What use am I now?  
  
What bloody use am I now?  
  
Maybe I should end it all.  
  
Should I?  
  
I don't think............I want to.  
  
I'm tired of running.  
  
Time to stop and face this head on.  
  
I can't hide me forever.  
  
I gotta deal with this thing.  
  
Time to stop running.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~Normal~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Malcolm woke slowly, his eyes still red and puffy.  
  
He laid there quietly, enjoying the silence for a moment.  
  
About ten minutes later he heard sickbay doors open. He propped himself up into a sitting position.  
  
"Hi Malcolm,"  
  
"Hello Hoshi,"  
  
"You look like hell,"  
  
"Thanks, it's called being ill."  
  
"You ok?"  
  
"Well, I've been better,"  
  
"Everyone's been worried about you,"  
  
"They have?"  
  
"Yup,"  
  
Malcolm had a coughing fit and Hoshi waited patiently for it to pass.  
  
"I just wanted to make sure you were alright,"  
  
"Thanks for coming Hoshi,"  
  
"I might come see you later if that's ok with you,"  
  
"Fine by me,"  
  
Malcolm blushed and watched Hoshi walk out again.  
  
"Good morning, feeling better?" Phlox asked cheerily.  
  
Malcolm considered his question a moment.  
  
~I kept everything inside and even though I tried / it all fell apart  
  
What it meant to me / will eventually / be a memory / of a time when I tried  
  
so hard  
  
And got so far  
  
But in the end  
  
It doesn't even matter  
  
I had to fall  
  
To lose it all  
  
But in the end  
  
It doesn't even matter~  
  
Malcolm nodded.  
  
Sickbay doors opened.  
  
Phlox walked away to tend to his menagerie.  
  
"Mornin' Mal"  
  
"Morning Trip,"  
  
There was a lengthy pause until Malcolm took a deep breath and said:  
  
"I'm ready to talk now."  
  
"Tell me everything?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
Trip sat down and waited.  
  
~*~Please review! I'm not sure if this makes much sense......hmm........well the first song extract was Hello by Evanescence and the second was In the End by Linkin Park. I think the next chapter will be the last~*~ 


	14. I came through with all my marbles intac...

~*~Disclaimer=me no own~*~Much encourage by reviews but I'm afraid this is the last chapter. *Sings*And now the end is near!!*Wonders by everybody is running away* Hey come back! Just read and review!~*~  
  
"Home sweet home," said Trip opening the door to Malcolm's quarters.  
  
He helped Malcolm inside.  
  
"Feels good to be out of sickbay," said Malcolm grinning.  
  
"Are ya aware your quarters are unnaturally tidy?" Trip asked.  
  
"A cluttered place leads to a cluttered mind," Malcolm quoted sinking back on his bed.  
  
"Organised people are just too lazy ta look for stuff," Trip proclaimed.  
  
Malcolm gave him a quizzical glance.  
  
"What? It worked on mah momma when I was a boy," Trip protested.  
  
"Funny, my mum just stopped coming in my room when she made my bed and found...........nevermind," Malcolm stopped himself blushing.  
  
Trip burst out laughing.  
  
"Anyway, the Doc says ya aren't allowed in the armoury for about a week, so if ya go there I'll get ya security team ta take ya back," Trip told him.  
  
Malcolm kept his expression neutral and merely stared at him.  
  
"Why do I suddenly not trust ya?" asked Trip suspiciously.  
  
"I have no idea," he replied. "But I promise I'll be a good boy and stay put."  
  
"I'll see ya later, I got some repairs ta make," said Trip before leaving.  
  
Malcolm sighed and stared at the ceiling. He pulled out a pad and began reading through it seeing where he'd got to with his latest pet project.  
  
The door chime rang.  
  
"Come in," he called.  
  
The door opened and Hoshi came in.  
  
"Hi Malcolm, Trip told me you'd been released to your quarters," she said. "I just came to see how you were and if you needed anything."  
  
"I'm.........."He was about to say fine, but stopped himself. "Better, thank you. I should be back on light duty in about a week."  
  
Hoshi smiled.  
  
"You can sit down if you want," he said motioning to the chair.  
  
"Everybody misses you," she said suddenly. "It's been........strange without you."  
  
Malcolm blinked and felt his cheeks going red.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"We don't notice you when you're there but we do when you're not."  
  
Malcolm didn't quite know what to say.  
  
"Erm, thank you-I think."  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
"Could you pass me that pillow please?" Malcolm asked politely.  
  
"What did your last slave die of?" Hoshi teased.  
  
"Backchat," said Malcolm automatically.  
  
He suddenly realised what he said but then saw Hoshi was laughing and smiled in relief.  
  
She tossed him the pillow.  
  
"You seem more yourself anyway," she said. "Get better soon-we need you."  
  
She got up.  
  
"Well I should be going, bye Malcolm," she said.  
  
"G'bye Hoshi," Malcolm replied.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~One week later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Malcolm stared at himself in the mirror.  
  
His face had a pinched unhealthy look of somebody who had been ill for some time and was just getting over it.  
  
He sighed and straightened his uniform.  
  
In the mess hall he met, Hoshi, Trip and Travis.  
  
((a/n OMG! Actually have a line with Travis' name in! *faints*))  
  
"Hey Mal," Trip greeted him.  
  
He cast an eye over Malcolm's tray.  
  
"Hungry?" he asked.  
  
"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," Malcolm quoted. "Plus for some reason I'm starving!"  
  
The others grinned.  
  
"Good to have ya back Mal," said Trip.  
  
Malcolm half smiled.  
  
*Well, I got through this with almost all my marbles intact, but next time my friend Mr Phase Pistol is coming with me everywhere!*  
  
~*~All done! Please review!!~*~ 


End file.
